As the Crow Flies



I’m quick. In school I was usually the first one to finish exams, I can be showered, and ready (with make-up and hair styled) within 15 minutes. I eat quickly. (Yes, I know. It’s not good for me.) I read quickly, and even my flag and dance movements are more hurried than others. I live in anticipation, and I want to be ready and grounded for what’s coming.

Some things can’t be hurried; you can’t hurry the time it takes to grow a human, nor can you hurry character development in the Christian life which is why I could have also titled this post: Lies Christians Believe #7, The Promised Land was only 11-days Away.  Ever heard the term, “as the crow flies”? It’s supposed to be the shortest distance between two locations but in reality, how often have you ever travelled ‘as the crow flies’? I’d bet it hasn’t been many times; even if you start out on a shortcut, inevitably something blocks the path and we have to go around it.

It maddens me when I hear (usually with some pompous disdain) the Israelites journey from Egypt to the Canaan would have been 11 days, but the reason it took 40 years was due to their continual disobedience. It makes me mad because somehow I feel I might have taken a wrong turn, and my [real] life should have started a long time ago. The truth is, God never intended to lead his people ‘as the crow flies’ (Exodus 13:17).


God’s plan was (and is) to lead his people into victory. Sometimes I feel as if I’m behind time, like I should be further along my journey than I currently am. It makes me anxious. Joshua 3:4 tells us to keep our eyes on the Lord and he will guide us. Why? Because we have not gone this way before. It’s one of my favourite verses; it calms me down and I can trust the One who leads me. God is leading me to victory and if I have to go around the mountain, instead of through it, I’m okay with it because that’s the way of victory.

Sometimes victory isn’t fighting any battle, sometimes victory is avoiding it altogether. Just like he lead the Israelites into the wilderness instead of into the middle of the Philistines territory which would have been a shorter route. Time is in his hands, he’s not bound by time, nor are we bound by anything when we rest in his hands.

#40lessons: God leads us into victory, and it isn’t always the shortest route. You are not behind his timing if you are looking at him.

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